UCHURACCAY — 1983 · Murder
The Uchuraccay Massacre of Journalists
On 26 January 1983, in the Ayacucho highlands at the height of Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) violence, eight journalists travelling to report on the conflict, their guide and a villager who tried to protect them were killed by residents of Uchuraccay. Following military instructions that strangers arriving on foot were militants, the villagers mistook the journalists for Shining Path members. A government commission headed by Mario Vargas Llosa attributed the killings to the villagers' fear, a finding criticised by the families. Three villagers were sentenced to 15 years in prison. In the following months the village lost dozens of residents to Shining Path attacks. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission examined it as an emblematic case of the conflict.
- Date
- 1983
- Place
- Ayacucho, Peru, Uchuraccay, PE
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- -12.8300, -74.1400 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 26 January 1983Eight journalists, their guide and a villager were killed.
- 1983The Vargas Llosa commission released its report.
- 1980sThree villagers were sentenced to 15 years.
- 1993The abandoned village was refounded.
- 2003The Truth and Reconciliation Commission re-examined the case.
Sources
- CVR — Historias representativas de la violencia: Uchuraccay cverdad.org.pe ↗
- Wikipedia — Masacre de Uchuraccay es.wikipedia.org ↗
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CVR)
- Wikipedia (Spanish)
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
Related Cases
More cases from the 1980s
Categories
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.